Cap



Dec. 13, 1960 y L Q EVERETT 2,964,206

CAP

Filed March 6, 1958 I N VEN TOR. JAMES C Evt-RE r r ATTE! RN EYS United States Patent v() CAP James C. Everett, 2417 Judy St., dessa, Tex.

Filed Mar. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 719,617

1 Claim. (Cl. 215-9) 'I'his invention relates to a cap or closure, and more particularly to a cap for use with medicine bottles or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a cap which is constructed so that children cannot readily gain access to the contents of a bottle such as a bottle containing medicines, pills, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cap for a bottle wherein the cap is constructed so that unless a person is familiar with the construction and operation of the cap, he or she will not be able to open the bottle which contains medicines, pills or the like, whereby the possibility or probability of children or other unauthorized persons getting to the medicine or pills will be eliminated or minimized or prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating a bottle or container provided with the cap of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

g Figure 3 is a frangmentary sectional view illustrating a modification.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating another modification.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modification.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary Vsectional view of another modication.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modification.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a still further modiiication.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a portion of a container such as a medicine bottle or medicine jar which includes a main body portion 11 and an upstanding neck 12 which is threaded as at 13. The numeral 14 indicates a rotary inner member which is adapted to be made of a suitable rigid material, and the inner member 14 is provided with a cylindrical or annular side portion 15 which is threaded as at 16 for engagement with the threads 13 of the neck 12. The inner member 14 further includes a top portion 17 which is provided with a sealing member 18 or gasket as shown in Figure 2, and the sealing member 18 is arranged immediately below the top portion 17.

There is further provided an outer rotary member which is indicated generally by the numeral 19, and the ice outer member 19 includes a cylindrical side section 20 which surrounds the side portion 15 of the inner member 14. The outer member 19 further includes a top section 21, and the numeral 23 indicates a rivet or pivot pin that provides a rotatable connection between the outer member 19 and the inner member 14. The numeral 22 indicates a space which is dened or provided between the portion 15 and the section 20. It is to be noted that the outer member 19 is made of compressible or resilient or yieldable material such as rubber or a suitable plastic or the like, so that in order to be able to unscrew the inner member 14, it is necessary to compress the side section 20 manually so that suiiicient friction can be applied to the portion 15 in order to rotate the inner member 14 whereby it will be seen that only a person familiar with the cap of the present invention will be able to gain access to the interior of the bottle 10. This construction is especially suitable or advantageous when the bottle or jar 10 contains material such as medicine, pills, or the like.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified cap which is indicated generally by the numeral 24, and the cap 24 is adapted to be used on the neck 25 which may form part of the neck of a pill bottle or the like. The neck 25 is threaded as at 26. It is to be noted that the cap 24 includes an inner member 27 which is provided with a side portion 28 that threadedly engages the neck 25, and the inner member 27 further includes a top portion 29 which has a sealing member 30 arranged therebelow. Extending upwardly from the top portion 29 is a shoulder 31.

As shown in Figure 3, there is further provided an outer member 32 which is made of compressible material such as rubber or plastic, and the outer member 32 includes a cylindrical side section 33 and a lower section 34 together with an upper section 36, and the upper section 36 is provided with an opening 35 therein through which extends the shoulder 31. It is to be noted that a space 38 is defined between the outer member 32 and the inner member 27, so that normally if a person attempted to remove the cap by rotating the outer member 32, then the outer member 32 would merely slip or turn on the member 27 so that the bottle would not be opened. However, a person familiar with the construction of the present invention will know to first compress the member 32 so as to bring the section 33 into frictional engagement with the portion 28 whereby the member 27 can thenbe rotated or unscrewed from the neck 25. This construction serves to insure that children or other unauthorized persons will not be able to readily gain access to the bottle of the drawings as for example when such a bottle contains poisonous materials or the like.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified cap which is indicated generally by the numeral 43, and in Figure 4 the numeral 39 indicates a portion of a bottle which is provided with a threaded neck 40. The cap 43 is shown to comprise an inner member 41 which is provided with a side portion 44 that has a recess or groove 42 therein, and the inner member 41 further includes a top portion 45 having a sealing member 46 arranged therebelow.

As shown in Figure 4 there is further provided an outer member 47 which is rotatably arranged on the inner member 41, and the outer member 47 is made of compressible material and includes an annular side section 48 which has a lower section 49 and a top section 50, and the numeral 51 indicates a space between the section 48 and portion 41.

Referring now to Figure 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated a further modiiied cap which is indicated generally by the numeral 62, and the cap 52 is adapted to be used on a bottle or jar 53 having a threaded neck 54. The cap 52 is shown to comprise an inner member 55 which includes a cylindrical side portion 56 that threadedly engages the neck .54, and the inner member 55 further includes a top vportion 57 which has a sealing member 58 arranged therebelow.

The numeral 59 indicates a` compressible outer member which includes a cylindrical side section 60 and atop section 61, and extendingk inwardly from the side section 60 is a rib 62 which projects into a groove 63 in the inner member 55. The numeral 64 indicates a space between the section 60 and portion 56.

Referring now to Figure 6 of the drawings, there is illustrated a further modied cap 65 for use with the neck 66 which is threaded, and the cap 65 includes an inner member 67 which has a side portion, 68 that threadedly engages the neck 66. The inner member 67 further includes a top portion 69 which has a sealing member 70 arranged therebelow, and extending upwardly from the top portion 69 is a shoulder 71 which includes a iianged portion 72. The numeral 73 indicates a compressible outer member which is rotatable on the inner member 67, and the outer member 73 includes a side section 74 and a lower section 75 together with an upper section 76 which is provided with an opening 77 through which extends the shoulder 71.

In Figure 7 there is illustrated a modified cap 78 for use with the neck 79 of a pill bottle or jar, and the cap 78 is shown to comprise an inner member 81. The member 81 is provided with a side portion 82 which has a lower portion 83 that is shown to include a plurality of spaced apart lugs, and these lugs 83 are adapted to engage a recess 80 formed in the neck 79. The inner member 81 further includes a top portion 84 and a sealing member 85. The numeral 86 indicates an outer member of compressible material, and the outer member S6 includes a side section 87 and a top section 88, and the top section 88 is rotatably connected to the top portion 84 by means of a pivot pin or rivet 89.

Referring now to Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings,

there is illustrated a further modified cap which is indicated generally by the numeral 90, and the cap 90 is adapted to be used on a neck 91. The cap 90 is shown to comprise an inner rotary member 92 which includes a side portion 95 that has fingers or lugs 93 extending inwardly, and the fingers 93 are adapted to engage indentations 94 in the neck 91. The inner member 92 further includes a top portion 96 which has a sealing member 97 arranged therebeiow. the numeral 98 indicates a compressible outer member which includes an annular side section 99 and a top section 100, and the numeral 101 indicates a space between the section 99 and portion 95. As shown in Figure 8, the numeral 102 indicates a rivet or pivot pin which connects the top section 100 to the top portion 96 so as to permit the outer member 981 to rotate independently of the inner member 92. Y From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a novel cap structure which is arranged or constructed so that unauthorized persons or children will not be able to readily gain access to the interior of a bottle such as a bottle containing pills, medicines, poisons, or the like.

According to the drawings, it will be seen Vthat in Figures l and 2 the cap includes an outerV member 19 fabricated of yieldable or resilient material such as rubber or plastic, so that with the parts in the position of Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that should a child or In Figures 8 and 9 and this inward pressure on the section will cause enough friction between the portion 20 and section 1S whereby the member 14 an be readily unscrewed from the neck 12. The pin 23 provides a rotatable support so that when the child attempts to open the bottle, the member 19 will merely rotate on the member Similarly, in Figure 3 when a child or other person attempts to remove the cap 24, the outer member 32 will spin or rotate on the inner member 27 so that the cap 27 will not be unscrewed from the neck 25. However, when the person knowing of the construction of the cap wishes to remove the cap, it is only necessary to press inwardly on the portion 33 so that the portion 33 will frictionally engage the portion 28 whereby the inner member 27 can be readily unscrewed from the neck 25.

Similarly, in Figure 4 to remove the cap 43, it is necessary to manually press inward on the section 48 so that the section 48 will engage the portion 44 so that the member 41 can be unscrewed from the neck 40. In Figure 5 to unscrew the cap 52, it is necessary to press inwardly on the section 6 0 so that the inner member 55 can be unscrewed from the neck 54, and the rib 62 projects into the groove 63 so as to provide a locking or retaining means between the inner and outer members. In Figure 7 the cap is constructed so that the inner member 81 has a lower portion 83 engaging the recess 80 in the neck 79, and this lower portion is shown to comprise a plurality of lugs 83. By pressing inwardly on the section 87, sufficient gripping pressure can be applied to the inner member 81 so that the lugs 83 can be pulled free of the groove or recess 80 so that the proper person can readily gain access to the bottle. The pin 89 provides a rotatable connection between the inner and outer members.

In Figures 8 and 9 the cap 90 includes the outer member 98 which is spaced from the inner member 92 as at 101, and the inner and outer members are pivotally connected together by means of the pivot pin 102. The inner member 92 is provided with fingers 93 which are adapted to be engaged in indentations or recesses 94. In Figures 8 and 9 the parts such as the inner member may be made of a yieldable plastic or rubber or the like so that when sufficient pressure is applied, the fingers 93 can be snapped into or out of the recesses 94, or as an alternative construction, the neck 91 and jar forming part thereof -may be made of y yieldable material.

The cap of the present invention is especially suitable for preventing children from accidentally gaining accessy to pills, medicines, or poisons, so that injury or death to the child will be prevented. The outer member 1s free to turn around the inner member until sufficient pressure is applied to the sides of the outer member and the outer member is made of a material which will ex when pressure is applied thereto so as to permitV the outer member to come in contact with the inner member 'y which creates friction that turns. the inner memberwhereby the cap can be turned on or off.

the like attempt to remove the cap from the neck 12,

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes. Pressure from the fingers causes a gripping action between the inner andV outer members so that the cap can be readily removed,rand the cap can be installed on different types of bottles or jars. The cap is especially suitable for prescription bottles which contain pills, tablets or the like.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim: 4

A safety closure for a container having a threaded neck, said safety elo-sure comprising an inner member of rigid material which embodies a cylindrical side portion threadedly engaging said neck, said side portion having an annular groove in its lower outer surface, the part of 5, the side portion below said groove being of reduced size, said inner member further embodying a top portion, a sealing element below said top portion; an outer member of readily deformable material and said outer member embodying a cylindrical side section rotatably surrounding the side portion of said inner member, said outer member further embodying a lower section and an upper section which are formed integral with the outer member, there being a space between said side section and side portion, the upper section of said outer member extending completely over the top portion of said inner member, the lower section of said outer member being turned inwardly at right angles with respect to said side section, and the lower section of said outer member projecting into said annular groove.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

